Educational game with particular respect to the organization of boy scouts of america



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Patented Dec. f6, 1924.

UNITED STA rss ROBERT G. HALL, OF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS.

EDUCATIONAL GANE wrrn rAnTIcULAR RESPECT ATo THE ORGANIZATION or BorscoUTs or AMERICA.

Application led April 9, 1923. Serial No. 630,719.

To all whom it may concer/n! Be 'it known that I ROBERT G. HALL, acitizen of the United tates, and a. resident of Swampscott, county ofEssex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve-- ment inEducational Games with Particular Respect to the Organization of BoyScouts of America, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, is a specifica-tion, like characters onthe drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates tol games of the game board type and has for itsobj ect the production of an instructive and an educational game forchildren and others adapted to impress upon the players cardinalprinciples of a beneficial code of action and the penalties for theviolation of the teachings of such code.

More particularly the invention relates to a boy scout game particularlyconstructed and designed to entertain and amuse those interested-in theBoy Scout organization and to impart instructions in the cardinalprinciples and tenets characterizing the Boy Scout organization.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide agamedirecting attention to. and emphasizing the boy scouts duties andobligations in his daily life and in his progress toward the goal ofnoble and useful citizenship.

Another object is to call attention to various of the merit badges and'like insignia which may be earned by a boy scoutduring his advance alongthe path leading to the goal of a good and noble citizen. Other objectsand features of the invention will more fully appear from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred form of game board particularly designedfor accomplishing the above purposes;

Fig. 2 represents 'a preferred type of ame piece bearing the insignia ofa tenderp f"-.f'the insignia of afirst class scout;

ing the progress o thepiece representing the player toward the goal.

In the particular embodiment of the invention disclosed herein thestarting point l is designated by the words Tenderfoot scout and theinsignia of a tenderfoot scout of the Boy Scout organiza-tion. rlhesuccessive steps of the path or trail are represented by circles 2.Certain of the ysteps are provided with directions 3 of advancemen-t orsetback 4 representative of minor hazards which may be encountered bythe boy scout during his dail life,s'u`ch, for example, as good deeds,aily helps, or failures to act when opportunities are presented andstations 5 illustrative of scenes and incidents specific to boy scoutlife such as fishing, camping, swimming, games, etc., and other stations6 illustrative of forbidden acts.

The game board also comprises stations 7 bearing the insignia of theoilicial merit badges of the Boy Scout organization which may be earnedby the boy scouts together with suitable directions for advancementalong the path as a reward for the attainment of such merit badges.Other stations 8 bear insignia of the various grades or classes of theorganization. The path terminates in the goal 9 of good and noblecitizenship.

Any type of piece or man may be--em ployed in playing the game, butpreferably pieces of diii'erent color are provided for the respectiveplayers, each player being rovided with aplurality of pieces bearinglnsi nia of the various grades of scout of the oy Scout organization,the pieces of each player being interchangeable or reversible so thatthe proper insignia may be displayed by the player when the moving piecehas reached a station calling for advancementl and bearing an insigniaof promotion corresponding to one of the players pieces, the substitutedor reversed piece'then being used until the next station of promotion isreached.

Any suitable means may be employed to determine the number of stepswhich the plece'shall advance upon each play. Preferabl i a part or thewhole of a usual deck of p aying cards is employed, the cards from theace to the six-spot inclusive preferably being used. The cards are firstwell shuiiied, then placed face downward and the players draw cards fromthe top of the pack 1n succession making moves of the number o f stepscorresponding to the number of spots upon the-card drawn. The piece isfirst placed u on the starting or tenderfoot statlon and t e piece movedtherefrom the number 'of steps called for by the card turned up. If, forexample, the three-spot 1s drawn the piece is moved to the third stepwhich bears the legend Go onl, it being understood from the instructionsof the game that this indicates that the boy scout has performed an actworthy of commendation which advances him along 'the l,path toward thegoal of a good and noble citizen;

If, roi` example, the player draws a {ive-spot the plece is moved fromthe tenderfoot statlon to the fifth step (4) which `bears'the legend Goback 1 which the scout learns from the instructions of the gameindicates that the scout has failed to accept an opportunity presentedto perform a good act,

or has been careless in his' appearance, or

has violated some other rule or tenet of the organization which sets himback tempora` ril7 in his progress along the path.

v f, upon the next play, vthe player draws a card which causes the pieceto move to the seyenth step or station which bears the 1ns1 1a of amerit badge it indicates that -the oy scout has passed the test forangling and has received al merit badge which -en'v titles him toadvance much more rapidly along the progress a predetermined number ofsteps auch as` indicated by the direction Advance 4.'

Various of the other stations bear thein- I signia of merit badges ofthe Boy Scout organization with suitable directions for advancement uponacquiring the merit badge when, during the play, the piece stops uponthe station bearing the insignia of the merit badge. Thus the player -istau ht and be-l comes familiar -with various o the merit bad 'es of thescout organization.l It also teac esl thetplayer that-it is notnecessary the player upon approaching one of the merit badges may electto lose his turn until the proper card is drawn to place his piece uponthe elected merit station.

The path or trail is also interspersed with stations illustrative ofsome of the major acts which are considered disgraceful by the Boy Scoutorganization such, for ex ample, as those designated by the numeral 6 inthe drawing, the first of which bears the legend Unseem but took part infoull act with a penalty Go back 6. This teaches the player that hisprogress along the path toward a good and useful citizenship is greatlretarded by a foul act performed lby him a though unseen. Likewise thesmoking of cigarettes, whichis prohibited ,by the Boy Scout or anizationis accompanied by the penalty o back 7..

Other stations are provided along the 4 path toward the goal which areaccompanied by illustrations or suitable legends calling the playersattention to various deeds which until a proper number is drawn to placethe piece upon the station or step entitled Ready to take seaman testadjacent to which is illustrated a boat and a series of trailers resting-upon a pond Aand it may be further required that the; piece cannot beadvanced until the proper number is drawn to' place, the piece upon thelast. boat or trailer illustrated.

Various other hazards may be imposed according to the rules andinstructionsof the game to make the progress of the scout slower, forexample, instead of using al1 of the cards of the four vsuits forpurposes Vof advancement one or more of the suits,

for example, the suit of clubs may be employed as a penalizing suit andthe player required to move his piece backward a number of stepscorresponding to the number of spots upon the card drawn, while theother cards of the Vpackare used to designate advancement. l

.'While the movement of the piece is de -l scribed herein as preferablycontrolled by usual playing cards it will be obvious that f any of theother numerous methods which are `employed in playing games of likechar- I acter may be used to determinethe ste s of advancement of theplaying piece, itv ing understood that Athe present game differs Y fromprevious games principally in that the board is provided withillustrations or legends lindicative of various 'incidents encounteredin thelife and progress of a boy n scout toward lthe goal of a noblecitizenship and further in that means are provided for retarding andsetting back the progress of the piece for failures of the scout tograsp opportunities or violations of the rules andtenets of the BoyScout organization.

Instructions.

Any suitable instructions, based upon the cardinal principles or tenetsof the Boy Scout organizationv or other helpful organization, may beemployed, such instructions desirably being as complete asvpossible withthe view to. instructing the player in respect to religious duties,honor, obedience, faithfulness, 'trustworthinesa cheerfulness, loyalty,courtesy, and other tenets of the organization, and also accomplishmentssuch as are designated by the various merit badges which suggest thatwhen the-players plece rests upon the station bearing the legend orinsignia of the merit badge it indicates that the Scout has passedsatisfactory requirements necessary to obtain the 'eward of meritindicated upon such staion.

The instructions also may set forth the i requirements for advancementto the grade of second class scout, first class scout, life scoutandstar scout, and with'older players the instructions may provide that theplayer cannot advance from the merit badge station or promotion station,upon which his piece rests, until he has stated the requirementsnecessary to pass the examination for vthe merit ,badge designatedandfurther that when the piece rests upon the promotion station, such as',second class scout, rst Vclass scout, etc., the pie-ce can-V notbe moveduntil the player states the requirements for advancement to the highergrade of scout designated by the station.

it should also beunderstood that Where a merit badge has been earned andthereafter the player is set back behind the station indicative of themerit badge he cannot again obtain the advantage of advancement if hispiece should a second time rest upon the merit badge station, the meritbadge station in such instances corresponding merely toone of theindividual steps in the path.

It will thus be seen that the Vpresent game may be employed ina simpleform to amuse and instruct children, who `are not of sulicient age toenter the -Boy Scout organization, with the cardinal principles andtenets of that organization and thus in a measure to prepare them forentry into the organization as tenderfoot scouts, and also that it maybe employed not only to amuse, but to instruct .members of the Boy Scoutorganization and others in tests and vother re uirements necessary to`obtain merit bailges and the requirements for advancement through thevarious grades of scouts to the desired goal of good 'and noblecitizenship.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention particularlyshown and described herein is illustrative and.- not restrictive andthat While the game is particularly designed for the purpose ofeducating players in the cardinal principles of the Boy Scout'organization it may, with suitable 75 modification, 'be applied to otherhelpful organizations or other commendable uses Within the spirit andscope of the following claims. v

Having thus described vthe invention, what is claimed as new, anddesired to vbe secured by Letters Patent, is:

' l. An educational game comprising a game board having a predeterminedpath, for piecesmovable by the respective players, g5 leading from astarting point to a goal of designated high attainment, said path beingprovided with steps certain of which represent hazards of success orfailure with associated indicia directing respectively an 9@ immediatepredetermined advancement, arrest or predetermined setback and includingstations .bearing insignia representing attainments of merit accompaniedby indicia of award and ydirecting further predeg5 termined advancementalong the path.

2. An educational game comprising a game board having a predeterminedpath, for pieces movable by the .respective players, leading from astarting point to a goal of 10c designated high attainment, said pathbeing provided with steps certain of which represent hazards of successor failure With associated ,indicia directing respectively an iimmediate predetermined advancement, arrest or predetermined setback andincluding stations bearing insignia indicative of promotion to a. highergrade with appropriate reward.

3. An educational game comprising a 10 game board having a predeterminedpath, for pieces movable by the respective players, leading from astarting' point to a goal of designated high attainment, said path beingprovided with steps certain of which repre- 15 l sent hazards of successor failure with associated indicia directing respectively an immediatepredetermined advancement, ar-

-rest or predetermined setback, and including stations bearing insigniaindicative .of pro- -motion to a higher grade with appropriate rewardand also including stations representing attainments of meritaccompanied by indicia of award and directing-further predeterminedadvancement along thepath. '4. An educational 'game comprising a gameboard having a predetermined path, for pieces movable by the respectiveplayers, leading from a starting point to goal of designated highattainment, said Vpat being provided with steps certain ofwhichrepresent hazards of success or failure .w1th associated indiciadirecting respectively an immediate redetermined advancement, ar-

rest or pre etermined setback and including stationsbearing insignia.representing attainments of merit accompanied by indicia, 'of award anddirecting further predetermined advancement along the path and alsoincluding stations indicative of disgrace with appropriate penalizingdirections.

' 5. A scout game comprising a game board having a predetermined path,for pieces representing the scouts,- movable by the respective players,leading from a tenderfoot station to the goal of a good and noblecitizen,

said path comprising a series of steps illus foot station to the goal ofa good and noblecitizen, `said` path comprising a series of stepsillustrative of incldents in the scouts life, certain of said stepsvrepresenting hazards of success or failure encountered by the scoutwith associated directions for immediate predetermined advancement,arvrest, vor predetermined setback, and also having stations indicativeof promotion in grade bearing the insignia of such grade together withdirections for appropriate reward, and other stations bearingrespectively illustrations of merit badges of the Scout organization,representing the earning of such merit badges bythe scout andaccompanied by directions giving suitable reward of advancement.

7.' vA scout game comprising a game board having' a predetermined path,for pieces representing the scouts, movable by the respective players,leading from a tenderfoot station to the, goal of a good and knoblecitizen, said path comprising a series of steps illustrative ofincidents. in the scouts life, certain of said steps representing lhazards of success or failurev encountered by the scout with associateddirections for imwith directions or appropriate rewar andstationsindicative of promotion in grade' bearing the insignia, of such gradetogether other stations bearing respectively illustra.-

l tions of merit badges of the Scout organization, representing theearning of such merit badges by the scout and accompanied by directionsgiving suitable reward of advancement', and other stations representingstation to the goal of a good and noble citil zen, said path comprisinga series of steps illustrative of incidents in the scouts life, certainof said steps representing hazards of success or' failure encountered bythe scout with associated directions for immediate predeterminedadvancement, arrest, or predetermined setback, and also having stationsindicative of promotion in grade bearing the insignia of such gradetogether with directions for appropriate reward, in combination withexchangeable pieces bearing respectivel the insignia of the progressivegrades o scout corresponding to the insignia upon the stations ofpromotion and adapted to be substituted when the piece has reached thestation bearing such insignia.

9. A scout game comprising a game board having a predetermined path, forpieces representing the scouts, movable by the respective players,leading from a tenderfoot station to the goal of a good and noblecitizen, said path comprising a series of ste s illustrative ofincidents in the scouts li e, certain of said steps representing hazardsof success or failure encountered by the scout with associated.directions for immescout organization, a series of interchange-.-

able pieces bearing respectively the insignia of corresponding grades ofthe scout organization whereby the proper insignia of the grade of thescoutv may be displayedupon the movable piece when and arter the stationbearing such insignia of grade has been reached during the advancementof the i piece. i 11. In

combination with" a ,scout game having 4i-predetermined path for movable,pieces representing the' iscouts movable by thp respective players andhaving stations iso bearing insignia of various grades of the afterthestation bearing such insignia of scout organization, a series ofreversible grade has been reached during the advanceblocks having facesbearing respectively the ment of the piece.

insignia of corresponding grades of the In testimony whereof, I havesigned my 5 Scout organization whereby thev proper inname tothisspecification.

signa of the grade of the scout may be displayed upon the movable piecewhen and ROBERT G. HALL.

